


Modern Love

by sneakronicity



Category: Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-03
Updated: 2015-02-03
Packaged: 2018-03-10 09:14:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3284885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sneakronicity/pseuds/sneakronicity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Periodically Clint liked to joke about getting married, but what if he wasn't entirely joking?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Modern Love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shenshen77](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shenshen77/gifts).



> Today is my darling Shen's birthday, so I wanted to write her a thing. Unfortunately I completely blanked last night and couldn't muse a thing, so darling, I am sorry if this is rushed. All errors are mine. Thanks for being there for me! You're a wonderful cheerleader, a great beta, and an amazing friend.

The first time Clint mentioned marriage it was clearly a joke.“You know, we’d get an extra three days vacation if we got married,” he remarked casually as he browsed the different cruise options online.“The ten day tours look so much better than the week long ones.”

“You haven’t had a proper vacation in ten years.I give you five days before you’re itching to get back to work,” Natasha replied. 

“Hey, I can relax, just you wait,” he protested.“You’ll have to drag me on the plane to come home.”

He ended up making it six days before getting twitchy.He claims it was longer than five so he bested her, but as it was still less than seven she won’t concede the victory.They still playfully argue about it to this day.

The second time he mentioned marriage was in Vegas.They had been watching the activity of one particular church.Single men, or groups of people who didn’t appear the wedding party type, came and went at all hours.It was a suspected front for an arms dealer, and after a few days they were certain it was true.

“You know, since we’re here anyway we could always make it official,” Clint remarked as they watched.“Showgirls for witnesses, Elvis doing the ceremony... what’s not to love?”

“If we use our real names we might blow our cover,” was the only reply Natasha thought necessary, and Clint just laughed and dropped the subject.  

They took down the whole operation with no injury and only minimal property damage.Well, minimal for them.

The third time the subject was broached he lay bleeding out in her arms.“You shoulda married me when you had the chance,” he said, chuckle turning to a cough that made them both wince.“Woulda made part of your name true.”

Natasha put pressure on the wound in his side and peered around the trees for any sign of extraction.She had put in the call and had been given an ETA but Clint was growing weaker and she was afraid it wouldn’t be fast enough. “I would rather make the whole name true, so I guess you’re going to have to live through this.”There was a tremor in her voice that betrayed her fear, but she didn’t have the energy to try to hide it.

“So you can kill me yourself?” he asked, his blue eyes a bit hazy as he looked up at her.“Would be after mating, though, right?I can think of worse ways to go...”

She tried to laugh but the blood wouldn’t stop and his pulse was slowing.“Like this...” she muttered, and for a moment his eyes seemed to clear when he met her gaze.  

“Still could be worse.At least you’re with me,” he said quietly.

She felt her eyes stinging.“I’m always with you.”  

A moment later she heard the roar of an engine, and after determining that it was friendly she called out.Medics whisked Clint away but she kept her promise, only leaving his side when necessary.  

It was a rough night but he pulled through, and the first thing he saw upon waking was Natasha sitting at his bedside.

The fourth time Natasha picked up the connection.It was the anniversary of her joining S.H.I.E.L.D. and for once they had the day off.They spent it together just lazing around, ordering in take-out and watching television.Once the pizza was gone Natashahanded him a small container; it held a slice of cheesecake that looked very similar to the kind he used to get from his favourite diner that had closed earlier that year.He had spent months complaining that nobody made cheesecake like that place and he’d never have a good slice again.

Skeptically he tried it and proceeded to moan happily.“I found out that the chef found employment elsewhere,” she explained, laughing as Clint kissed her enthusiastically despite the bite of cake in his mouth.  

“Marry me?” he said, grinning like a fool as he took another bite.It was then that she thought about it, about Vegas and the time she had almost lost him.Every time he had joked about marriage it had been this same day of the year, her anniversary.

“You just want to get married now so you only have one anniversary to remember,” she accused and his eyes widened.

It had only taken her four years to figure it out.  

Stealing a bite of his cake she shook her head and went to get a drink.“I always knew you had an ulterior motive.”He didn’t bring it up again.

There was no fifth time.The next year he said nothing.They both worked at headquarters for the day and made plans for supper. They ate at a nice restaurant and took a walk through the park, but he made no jokes, no references.In fact, he was rather quiet.  

When they reached the front stoop of their apartment, Natasha dropped the keys and went down on one knee to get them.Clint followed her with his eyes, and when she pulled a small box out of her pocket and looked up at him he felt like he’d fallen into a bad movie.In the box was a gold chain, and on the chain was a gold band.“So, are you going to marry me already?” she said, and while she was grinning he could see that flicker of uncertainty in her eyes.

“I didn’t think you seriously wanted to,” he said, still unsure how to react to this whole situation.

“You never seriously asked me,” she pointed out.

Then he was laughing and kneeling with her and kissing her lips, her cheeks, her eyes.“Guess I didn’t want to hear you say no,” he admitted as she hooked the chain around his neck.She knew he didn’t like to wear rings when he used his bow, so this was perfect.

“When have you ever been afraid of taking a risk?” she said smiling so warmly at him he felt it clear through to his bones.  

“Only when that risk is you,” he admitted.

“I told you, I’m always with you.”And she always was.

Exactly a year later they married.It was a small ceremony in a tiny European town where they wrote their own vows and had few witnesses present.The party the townspeople held for them afterwards was long and loud and full of laughter.

They stayed for ten days.

 


End file.
